Death penalty for child rapists should be considered: CPI(M)

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj's demand for death penalty to child rapists on Sunday got the backing of CPI(M) which said it was open to the idea.

"We are willing to discuss and consider this because what happened in this Delhi rape case is gruesome. There is something seriously wrong in the society and there is no fear of the law," CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters outside the Parliament.

He was asked to react on Swaraj's demand that the new anti-rape law be made more stringent and provide for death penalty in cases of rape of children and those involving brutality and barbarity.

"Nothing short of death sentence in cases of rape of children and cases involving brutality and barbarity will help," the BJP leader had said.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also asked home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to convene a meeting of representatives of all political parties to consider provision on providing death sentence to perpetrators of such brutal crimes.

Asked if somebody should be held accountable in the government for the way the Delhi Police has investigated the case, Yechury said, "Of course, someone (has) to be held accountable. What is this nonsense of offering bribes to the victims.

"The manner in which they assaulted a woman protester, that is also not done. The matter would be raised in the House."